


The Nation We Build( On hiatus for the time being)

by Tobi_D



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Brokering peace, Building a nation from scratch, Canon Divergence - The Lord of the Rings, Creating democracy, During The Hobbit, Dwarf Culture & Customs, Elf Culture & Customs, Extended lifespans, F/M, Modern Character in Middle Earth, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, Multi, Native American/First Nations History, Nederlands | Dutch, Other, Political Alliances, Political Drama, Pre-The Hobbit, Slow Burn, Trade Agreements, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:07:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27656594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobi_D/pseuds/Tobi_D
Summary: What happens when you take a group of Halfblood half-siblings and friends who feel disconnected from both sides of their heritage and drop them into middle earth half a century before Erebor falls with extended lifespans? You get the settlement of 'Grotehuis', an ever growing settlement, I mean village, I mean town... It grows fast and ok. And with the ever complicated relationsships between the core members of the council and the political climate things are bound to get stressful, hopefully this nation will have what it takes to stand the test of two wars and the political drama that comes with trying to get multiple races to get along.(PoV's change between chapters, sometimes no pov.)((Super slow and gratuitus worldbuilding, lot's of political drama, kinda boring if you're not into that stuff.))
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. Expositional start: no PoV (1)

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to this overambibitious passion project. It's mostly just the slow building of the nation using middle earth and it's characters.

It was supposed to be a week long camping trip, all with traditional and minimal tools, a test to prove themselves, and to get a taste for how things might have been oh so long ago. The four 'core' members of the group, the half-siblings that have known each other the longest and set out to reach out to the others were very familiar with the area and the practice. Almost every weekend and for long periods during the summer they would head out, five items each and simply survive off the land. This time they brought a lot more with them, and their group was so much bigger.

Dylan was the eldest of the 'core' group and the third eldest amoung them, he was also the smartest and wisest, dispite his massive frame, his occupation was that of a nurse. Jack was Dylan's full brother, one of only two pairs that had the same mother and father, he was a freelance 'artist'. Thomas was their halfbrother from their mother, and the only of the half-siblings not to be related by father, at least the only that was part of the trip, he had a regular desk job. Tobi was the youngest of the 'core' group, and the best equipped for these trips. Even before meeting with their half-siblings they would often trek out into the woods with nothing more than an axe, a fishing line and the clothes on their back,maybe a pocket knife is the trip was longer, They worked in private security.

Aside from the 'core' group, there was a group of five that joined them in quick order, most of them on the younger side. Jess and James, the twins and the second pair to be fully related, were only six when inducted into the family, their mother far too young to be a mother practically handing them other to their older siblings. Mia was the eldest, and the least interested in joining the family, but decided to come along for the trip anyways, their job as a realestae agent quite stressful. Jonas was the third youngest, and before a car accident was hoping to become a soccer player. The second younger of the family was Alex who was still in middle school, his mother was the hardest to convince to allow him to join. Sara was the youngest amoung them, her mother sickly and not always lucid, so she quickly latched onto her older siblings.

Aside from those, three of their half-siblings brough their partners, and in one case their children. Jennifer brought her wife Annabelle, an architect and teacher respectively. Skylar brought his fiance and their twins, barely a year old but in great health. Skylar was a consruction worker, and his fiance Sana was a nurse before becoming a mother, their children names Jackie and Jaime. Zach had brought his girlfriend, a police officer by the name Sonya, Zach having met her at work as an officer himself.

Beyond the family six friends were brought along, two couples and two 'singletons'. Marco brought his girlfriend Monica, Marco being a frined of Skylar's from work, his girlfreind being the assisant to some business man or other. Jonathan brough his girlfriend as well, a woman named Taylor who also happened to be pregnant, only two months in. Jonothan worked on his father's farm and Taylor worked in retail, both knew the family through Jack, having met at a festival. Last in the group were David and Noah, close friends of Tobi. David did drywall and Noah was a regular dud with a boring desk job, though he did enjoy hunting in his free time.

It was this group of twenty three, twenty four if counting the unborn child, that came across the ruin of a monument of some kind, one that most certainly wasn't there before.

"This is new... I knew these woods like the back of my hand, and I've never seen anything like this." Tobi spoke with some surity but Jack was quickl to interupt.

"Maybe it's for a movie or an art project of sorts? It isn't unheard of for production crew to place thing in a shooting location a while before the actual filming so the locations get a weathered look. That would explain why it looks old but is really a new addition to the forest." While it did make some sense, Skylar was quick to shot his idea down, and he was oft to do.

"I know concrete and rocks like no one's business, if theis was new, even if it was meants to look old, it wouldn't look like this. The weathering is too onld and too natural, forceful weathering doesn't look like the natural stuff. This is some genuinely old stuff. It's more likely that is god relocated, but that wouldn't explain how parts of it are stuck in the earth, and from the hardness of the soil around it it's been here and unbothered for a really long time." His voice was steady and calm, though it held a haugtiness in it that he didn't often let slip.

All in the large group stood silent before Tobi motion for them all to get closer, the rule of not splitting up or aletting anyone fall behind already well established. Their movements slow, and for a number of them well practiced, other more loud and clumsy in their approach.

"Did anyone else see that? It looked like a flash of light. Maybe-"" It's likely just a reflexion, now be quiet, we have no idea what might be hanging around here, while animal love old ruins, and we don't want to stumble loudly into some creatures den." Thomas' face portrayed a bit of shame as his elder sibling had to shush him, Tobi's steps as calm and measured as ever.

"Hey guys, there a plaque of some sort here, I think it has writting on it... We might get more answers from here than just poking around the place." Jennifers rumbling voice easily caught everyone's attention, their tall form easily seen and acting almost as a landmark for the now slightly scattered group.

"Alright, no one touches it, we have no idea how old it might be. If I can make anything out I'll read it out loud, that way you guys get the full idea and no abrigde-"" Who made you boss, last I checked Mia, jen and Dylan were oldest, and Skylar knows more about constructon and stuff." Marco's somewhat nasily voice cutting through, a number of the group glaring at him, wiping the smug look from his face.

"Tobi know's these woods the best, and as far as survivalist's go they're as good as it gets. and did you forget that Tobi works in security and shit? if anyone knows what might be dangerous or fragile it's Tobi, they've worked on a few delicate excavation sites, so maybe you shou sh-"" Thomas, quiet, no one was taking him seriously, and in fighting isn't going to help anyone." Dylan's deep and measured voice cut through the air like a sword through butter. No matter what your opinion, everyone listens to Dylan, the man simply had a aura of calm about him that no one could deny.

With a nod the youngest of the core drew close to the plaque before reading it aloud, the faces of their family and friends growing more and more confused as they went on.

"A half a millenia shall they live, all their decendants, no matter the dilution of their blood will live too live that, within two decades they be grown, yet hundreds more shall they spend learning. A great nation they will build, founded in traditions long lasting yet not yet existing. No king nor queen, guided by a council of five, though each of their people have a voice in the council. Arda has yet to see such a sight, but see they will, for as they find these words, into Arda they will fall. The world will watch, that nation founded by twenty and three."

"Wait isn't Arda where middle earth is? How the fuck-" Jack was not able to finish.

They were overcome with with the feeling of falling, colours nearly unimaginable soaring past them in a dizzying speed. They stayed in the same place yet they were traveling through space and time. It was moment and a life time at the same time, an event that was in itself a contradiction. And by the time it was done they were left feeling as though it lasted both too long and not long enough, now surrounded by a small grassy area in the crux of two meeting rivers, to the souht of them a small patch of woods on the other side of the river.

"Okay... That just happened... So now what?"" Now we build a shelter and make sure we survive the night, obviously the prophecy was talking about us, but if we die then it ain't happening... Also we need to chose who's in charge of what, make a precurser to the council the plaque mentioned."" Are you fucking kidding me? You're just gonna go along with this."" Do you have any better ideas?" It was a fast paced mess of voices over lapping, and it quickly devolved into a large argument, the younger set of twins now crying.

"Enough! We can't argue like this, not now. It doesn't sem like we have a way home, at least not that we know of, so for now we follow the prophecy, it seems to entail good things for us, and maybe we'll find a way home, but first we need to set up camp. Tobi is right, we won't have a future to worry about if we don't make it through the night." Everyone shut up, most of them now grumblimg and murmuring in agreement. What Tobi lacked in tact, Dylan more than made up for, both wise and good with words.

"Ok so what first? For now we should follow Tobi's lead, they know the most about surviving in the wild."" Actually, we need to set up our council, jobs need to be allocated, and a few people here have skills I don't, so for now we set up and emergancy 'council' later we'll vote in our permanent 'council'... I think Dylan should be the head of the Council, Skylar should be in charge of building and crafting, Sana should be in charge of medical needs, I'll take care of hunting and security, and Mia should take care of supply management. That way the most skilled people in each area has oversight on what needs to be done, Dylan coordinates everything."

Tobi's words came as a surprise to most, as it was odd for them to pass up the chance to be in charge, but it could be argued that a crisis brings out the truth of a person. it was even more impressive because Tobi and Skylar were known to have a tense relationship, so for Tobi to advise Both Skylar and his fiance be part of the council showed a level of maturity and fore though none were expecting from the young hunter.

"I actually agree with that, I'll help Skylar with building shelter, Jen can help us plan everything out so it's possible for us to expand." Marco's voice was filled with a calm and sense of duty that further surprised the group.

"I'll help Dylan with the overseeing, my boss used to do a lot of management so I can help him get a feel for it. Sonya why don't you help Tobi with the hunting and Security, and Taylor can help Mia with the supplies, you're used to retail and stuff so your skills can probably help there." Hearing that coming from the usually vain MOnica was another surprise, but not quite as surprising as the others, and soon jobs were allocated to everyone, each person aside from the children joining one of the five branches, the family and friends working together than they ever had, fear for their lives and the knowledge greatness awaited them motivating them further than any of them had ever felt.

With some knowledge of knots and tention they were able to cross the rive and have dry clothing to quickly change into, avoiding hypothermia, and soon the search for easy to collect wood began. They had a long way to go if it was nation they were to build.


	2. The hunt: Tobi (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tobi goes hunting and runs into what they think is a wolf. They may have made a friend, or they may be next on th list to find out that nurture and nature clash.

As useful as the lean-to's had been for survivng the first week, there was no way they would be a long term solutions, and we were all a bit tired of contantly repairing the damn things, so Skylar, Marco and Jen had gotten together to not only start woring out a house structure, but also to hammer out the general building style that would go with our new nation, everyone now in agreement that it would be better to play into the prophecy than actively work against it.

The current pland it to marry the structural ideas found in tipi's and combine it with more long lasting and permanent materials, the point of tipi is to be easy to put up and take down for nomadic style, but we planned to stay put, so buffalo hide was switched out for mutiple laywers of bark sandwiched between layers of clay salvaged from the rivers. It would be an almalgomation of longhous, tipi and wigwam, with the pointed comical shape on was side and a slight down the center of the top for the smoke to escape, it really was lin and elogated permanent tipi.

We also decided to use the rocks surrounding the river to creat the fontadion and weight systen Jen desighed to make sure the poled would be able to support the weights of the walls for a very long time, those rock would also be used to fortify and fireproof the long firepit that would remain in the center of the longhouse. We would also use them to create a retaining wallfot he foundation, which would be raise and used three laysers of rock to contain the packed soil and layers of clay that would make the floor, some big rocks would make the small amount of stairs that lead up to it.

It would take longer than a simple cabin, but we really wanted to set apart our cultural architecture and aesthetic and also something that would last a long time, we didn't want to spend all of our time repairing when we could be expanding... Or hunting, which if what I'm doing now. Sonya is rabbit trapping and Jack has decided to do some fishing, the fish will be eaten tonight alongside the rabits which will be made into bone marrow stew and rabbit dumplings. I'm spear hunting some wild pigs to make some more long lasting salted and smoked meats. Considering how many of us there are we'll need a good store for the winter, and the furs will be a lot of help.

'Snap!' A twig not too far away from me snapped, and immediatly I was on high alert. I began making my way over in the way I was taught. Feet barely leaving the ground and it glides over, using my full foot to walk, minimising any sound, breathing perfectly controlled, center of gravity lowered, spear at the ready. It only took a few paces for my prize to come into view. An old pig, and not of the completely wild sort, likely the near decented of an escaped farm pig, still baering the trademarks of a domesticated pig, though diluted.

Still I knew better than to think this would be easy, pigs of all sorts are tought creatures, and you certainly don't want to make the mistake of earning their ire, so carefully I crept up before chucking my spear with all the skill of a middle school javalin thrower who at one point thought it was a totally valid and cool spot... ehem.

It sunk clean into the jugular, it's thrashing pulling the spear out,leaving it to run and bleed out as it goes. Quickly i picked up my spear and ran after it, this time bouncing on the balls of my feet in quick and long strides, good for covering a long distance without echauting yourself. A less experienced hunter would take his time and follow the blood trail, but in parts like these there are plenty of other creature more than willing to steal your kill, and the sooner I can get it smoked the better.

And good thing i decided to tail it, because there's a mangy looking wolf circling my catch. Probably a young one too, his proportions aren't all right, so he'll probably be plenty big once he's fully grown, but for now he's small enough to scare off.

"Yewooh! Get gone, this catch is mine, hunt your own!" The wold did back up a bit, but not as far as woud be expected for a wolf, let alone a young one. I knew i couldn't turn my back on him, he's clearly underfed and hungry, likely left behind by his family, as big as he may be,it's likely he was the runt. So I decided to me a charitable sould. The earl and like on a pigs headis pretty much impossible to smoke, and as tasty and pigs feet may be, they teld to get recuded too much to enjoy when smoked, and I had a long walk ahead of me, so I used my big hnting knife to remove it's head, taking some fabric from and old shirt to cover the stump and tied it with some twine, doing the same with the feet. Once done I hurled the head as far in the wolf'd direction as I could manage.

The mangy thing bounded after the head and began to tear into everything is could get it's teeth into. It then the the feet not to far away from the poolof blood from where the pig died, if it decided to try his luck in following me there would be a tasty distraction for him. And it might stave him off long enough for me to get to the river unbothered, the raft we'd lashed together wasn't very big, and with the weight of the pig it would be slowed. 

We no longered lived in the woods, leaving the area so the animals of the area would feel comfortable, the rope we had used to crose was now used to hitch the pully system we use for the raft. Sonya was traping by the other river, the build side forthe new longhouse being nesstled in the fork of the river, or more accurately the joining of the rivers. Jen was able to figure out where we were, having the map of middle eart downloaded to her phone before it died. Our solar charher now used for the single tablet where Thomas had a numerous movies,documentaries and audiobooks, amoung the audio book the hobbit and the lord of the rings, he had the films too, but we weren't sure which universe we ere in, and we are more likely to be familiar with the movies, so often we would work out way through the audio books to help us memories the important stuff.

Aw happened to be in the fork of the river running and the river that came down from the iron hills that lead to the sea of Rhun... We're right in between Erebor and Mordor, which as someone who has read the book, i know isn't the best place to be, but it seems we still have a long time before the war of the ring, so maybe we are meant to be a buffer.

"Tobi! Find anything good?"" Partly domesticated pig! This boy'll smoke just right!" Jack sat on the other side of the river, makeshift fishing rod in hand, I could see a tied off bag in the river, so he likely already had at least one, but there are twenty three of us, so we'd better hope Sanya comes through with those rabbits, the northern river bed if crawling with them, so it should be easy enough to get a few for dinner, the dehydrated chille we packed is starting to run out, and the aotflakes aren't going to last too much longer either. Sana planted some radishes, we were planning of leaving the seeds and the cabin for spring planting, but now we're grateful for her demand to to plant them late, aparently they take less than a moth to grow to be edible, and can be eaten all year round, the first harvest we're going to pickle.

We also habe a few other things that are now pickleing, but are in no way enough to get us through the winter. Noah wants to take some of the furs we have to Dale or Laketown to trade for some flour or long lasting foods, maybe even a few winter crop seeds. I'm not sure we should be selling the furs we so desperatly need for warmth, but Skylar says once the lonhouse is done it's be perfectly built to stay warm in the winter. I don't know about how it all works, something about the way the airflow works and the circulation of warmth.

"Steady there Tobi, you look a little out of it, the raft isn't exactly all too secure you know."" I know, I helped build it, and I use it the most, don't lecture me." An outsider might think the situation tense, but Jack and I had out own way of communicating, sharp words mixed with slight variations in tone and micro expressions convayed sentiments and ideas sometimes completely opposite of what was being said.

"Well hurry over, I happen to have two decent sized fish here and a brookie, and it seems I won't be catching any more today- Never mind! One last one for a full stomach!" As Jack rangled the fishing line I sped up my pull towards the other bank, a chill now runding down my spine, which worked to my benefit as I was able to get to the other side just in time to help Jack pull up an especially large fish. It was quite impressive, so much so that the colled fabric wouldn't be able to hold all four.

"If we let it outside the bag it'll start decaying in the sun and it'll be a waste, so give me the smallest one, I have an idea." By now I had sussed out that the chill up my spine came from the gaze of a certain mangy pup, staring at my bach, or more likely the pig strapped to it.

Once Jack handed me the honestly pathetic brookie I winded up and threw it hard enough to reach the other bank, it wasn't on the ground for more than a second before in was in the slightly too large maw of the large pup.

"Enjoy child of the woods,we take no more than we need, and what we don't need is given back to the earth." Anyone else wouldn't have aid anything but I felt the need, something told me the wolf understood me, and within moments I would get a response that would make me ever more careful if i chose to enter those woods again. It was low and a rumble that hardly registered as a voice, more growl that somehow translated itself as words in my head.

"Your generosity pleases me. Your bones will not feed next you enter our lands, though I make to promises on behalf of my kin."" Your kin do not concern me child of the earth, your belly is clearly empty, so by my hand will it be filled, so long and your teeth do not turn on me. Your kin abbandon you to hunger, I will not." The words flowed from me as though I knew what them meant. But my blood was frozen, and the calm look on my face was nothing but a mask to cover my complete terror."

The wolf didn't respond, only turning arond and padding back into the woods. Leaving me frozen and Jack staring in shock with his most open.

"Tobi... That wasn't a wolf, we don't understand normal animals... That's a warg, evil wolf creatures that work with orcs...You just promised it more food."" Tolkien himself said he can't believe aythinh is wholly evil, even orcs... It's not goingto kill me so long as i share some of my hunt, and considering this is where most of our food comes from... God that was terrifying." Jack didn't bother confirming just turning around and walking off int the direction of our current camp, shaking his head disapprovingly.


	3. The long house: Dylan (3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Progress on the long house is made, and new friends are made

The basic skeleton of the stucture was up. Two tripods on each end huge and tall, four other suppurt beams on each side meet at the top lashed together. going from tripod to tripod restong on the triangular support structures was the top beam,where the other poles would rest against, those poles used to thicken the walls and to give the bark and clay more support, the first layer of wall being a layer of wocen bark between the poles. On the ends with the tripod more poles were leaned in to create the rounded ends that made it so similar to an elongated tipi. The foundation had taken longer than expected, the three layers of retaining wall requiring the purests and strongest clay, same with what would become the firepit, meaning the lower quality less pure stuff would be left for the walls.

"Dylan, the first shoots in the garden are showing up, the Radishes and Scallions should be done growing by the end of the months, the beets might take until just before the winter so those might be late winter early spring foods. Sana wants to harvest the turnips so we can pickle while they're still milder so they don't taste bad, but Skylar says we should let them grow to full maturity so they're bigger-"" Doesn't Skylar have other things to worry about? The long house needs to be done before the weather turns, and the primary layer of bark still needs to be woven in. Tell him to listen to his wife, she's more expeirenced with these things."

Admittedly I didn't want to be the one in charge, I didn't even want to be on the council, but it was the only thing everyone could agree on. And who was I to disagree when everyone clearly needed a more subduedvoice to guide them. Our familyis full of strong willed people, many who have no qualms about telling louder than the others for the sake of being heard.

Speaking of the council, here come To- Wait no, that's far too short to be Tobi, and a bit too broad. Who could be coming here though? It's the middle of nowhere.

"Hail traveler! What brings you to these lands!" I raised my hand to wave what I had to assume to be a dwarf over. The figure responded by waving back and speeding up his pace, now speedwalking towards us.

"Hail my good man! Trade by the sea of Rhun brings me to these lands, I did not know this land belonged to any person or peoples."" Not since recently did we lay claim to these lands. My clan was brought here by prophecy. Come friend, you must be weary, the master of the hunt will return soon, and fine meal will be made, my brother's wife makes a fine stew." The dwarf was now quite close, the large pack on his back now in full view.

"A kind offer, but your home needs building and your family feeding."" The longhouse is making faster progress than expected, and our master of the hunt is the most skilled I've ever met. You also mentioned trade, one of my kin has a keen interest in trade, traditionally our kind is completely self sufficient, but we like to see ourselves as trailblazers, it would be good to learn of these things, in return we will gift you a meal and a place near the fire." It was perfectly reheersed, a story we had all come up with together, a backstory and a culture from nothing, even the braids we wear now have a meaning.

"Well if it's a trade then who am I to refuse, a good meal of fresh meats would be a kind mercy in the travels this way, you will likely find more trades coming this way once I return to my homeland, the promise of safety and warmth over a long travel will make the offer of trade to the sea far more tempting." I gave him a smile before motioning for him to follow, a little ways away from where the longhouse was being built we had our camp, a circular contruct of multiple inter conected lean-to's with covering and a semblance of walls between sections. It wasn't as bad as it sounds, and it certainly passed for a nice place to stay after a long travel, especially after a long trip.

"Forgive the humbleness of out camp, we've only had less than a moon to set it up, it is after all only a temprary solution."" Less than a moon! And already you have the frame for your longhouse, your kin must be strong spirited and bodied indeed! Had we some of your kind in Erebor the expansions would take hardly as long as they are!" At the mention of Erebor My head whipped over to him, which he luckily didn't notice.

"I have heard of Erebor, is it true that in recent years a new prince has been born?"" In recent years! The princess is still heavy with child! The king's first grandchild is not to be born for another month or so, for an afair meant to be privet the news has spread quickly for even you to know!" That slip up had almost fucked us all over, I hadn't realised just how long before everything important we had arrived, Thorin wasn't even alive yet.

"My sister has an ear for rumors, she is always the first to know of other people's business, If you are to return by this path we would like to send some gifts with you for the prince to be, it is custome for certain gifts to be sent to one's naighbors when a child is born, furs for prosperity, bandages for health, and tools for skill, well wishes for the child and their future." It was simple, but it could very well be the beginning of our relationship.

"I suppose if they are gifts of tradition then it may be fit, but a letter explaining it in detail would be needed, lest the king consider it an insult, or it be ignored all together, but I will do you this favor friend, there are few warm hearted people in this world, and Erebor could always use more friends, security and food on the way to greater trade routes would bring ever more coin to us, and you as well." I just nodded along, supressing what was either a grin of a grimace, which one it was I'm not sure.

"Indeed, I've heard that not all in these lands keep to the laws of hospitality. Though if the subject of trade is brought to conversation than I now of a certain memeber of our clan who may begin asking more questions than any Man, Dwarf or Nehiyawan has the time to answer. He wishes to become a master of trade, but as our people are not familiar with the concept he has not had any one to teach him." The look on the Dwarf's face could only be surprised.

"You mean to tell me you are the first of your people to be willing to trade with others? How does a people such as that survive. The dwarves tend to be secretive, but even we trade with others."" Our people lived only off what they could catch and gather, it was in the meeting of a lost traveler that my kin realised the world was far greater than we thought it to be at first. We have learned much by observing, but now we wish to learn by participating." It was a believable tale that would explain why they had no idea how the currency worked and what the worth of things were.

"I can respect that, my forefather was one of the Dwarves that originally followed their king to the founding of Erebor,we take great pride in being of the first, our ties with the royal family are close."" I see, I never did comprehend the idea of royals and kings. Is it true a single person rules over the entirety of your people, everything at once, and that they are simply given this role because they are the eldest child of the previous king?" Questions area good way to get people to think about things, and setting ourselves apart by putting our culture on full display is a great way to do it.

"The Dwarf paused for a moment, his brows furrowed. He seemed to be comtemplating his next words.

"Aye, when you say it like that it does sound odd, But the royals are of the line of Durin, the first dwarf to awaken. It is within their blood to rule."" I see, I suppose for yourpeople it would make sense then. I'm curious as to how it works, but I'm sure you'll have enough questions to answer over dinner... Speaking of which, here come our Master of the hunt." It was a bit early for Tobi to return, but considering the fact they seemed to carrying something on each shoulder it would seem their hunt was success- Wait.

"Tobiah! What in the maker's name is that?"" My hunting partner, protected me from a real warg while I was hunting. Turns out he's only a quarter Warg, the rest is Great wolfdog, decended from a creature not unlike Huan of old. He risked himself for me, so I decided to patch him up." I stared at Tobi in shock, the Dwarf beside me looked at me with a face full of confusion.

"He.... He'll be tied up away from the camp and we'll have a double watch to keep an eye on him, and you'll stay by his side the entire time, we won't risk Sana, you'll have to tend to him yourself."" Didn't expect any less. I'll drop the deer off at the longhouse, I take it we'll be using some of the meet to feed out guest?" Honestly it took me aback how casual Tobi was about the situation, though each and everyone of us have been changing, both in personality and physically.

" Be quick about it, i don't want to risk any of the younger ones because you decided to grow attached to your hunting buddy." Tobi didn't bother replying, simply waving as they walked off.

"That... That was a Direwolf. Your Master of the hunt has tamed a Direwolf with Warg blood... And carried both the Direwolf and the stag with no issue? What are you?"" I... Tobi is special. Tobi is without a doubt the strongest person I have ever met, and it seems they only grow stronger with every day, though I suppose that comes with coming of age. Each of use is only just developing out bloodline traits." That was what he had decided to call our unique weird traits.

Aside from Tobi growing freakishly strong, a few of us had developed our own oddities, and the younger pair of twins have showed signs of taking after their father's oddity. Oddly enought, or not, only the siblings have started developing these odditties.

"Oh, I see, well, let's hope the Direwolf doesn't decide to make us dinner."" Unlikely, With Tobi watching over and my intention to put Sonya and Skylar on watch, the overgrown pup would have better luck surviving a swim in mount doom." The Dwarf let out a soft chuckle, the knowledge that someone strong enough to easily carry the thing was keeping watch likely set him a bit at ease. He seemed quite accepting of all the weirdness, but Dwarves always struck me as the type to go with the flow. We would see though.


End file.
